Alanya 2 October 2013

Wine:

Claire Valley one Tree Hill Riesling 2010

Moorilla Estate Pinot noir 1989

Jim, Karen, Ron, Andrew, Megan, Kim. 

Alanya, stalwart of Turkish food, has been in Manuka for ages and ages.  Not sure why we chose this, but it seemed like a good idea to branch away from the asian for a while.

We decided against the banquet and thought we would do just as well by chosing our own dishes. We had a selection of entrees, dips, zucchini balls, mushrooms, lady’s fingers, mussels.  The mussels were the stand out best, followed closely by the mushrooms, but all of them were good. 

For the mains we  tried the stuffed zucchinis, fish in sauce, “Sultans Favourite” ie spiced lamb wrapped in slices of eggplant, Tas Kebap (Pot Kebap) or lamb cooked in special sauce; with a salad and some rice.

All tasty, interesting and some spicy, which we liked.

For dessert we had the mixed plate, a selection of baklava, halva, chocolate slice and Turkish delight, absolutely yum!

We were the only table there for the night, which is a bit of shame because the food, while not outstanding is always reliable and consistent and deserves more.  Maybe Canberrans are a bit over Turkish food, or maybe dependable, standard Turkish food which you get at Alanya?

Sage August 7th 2013

WINE

Weemala Brut Central Range NSW

Wynns coonwarra Cab Sav 1992

FOOD

Another great meal at Sage, always reliable to turn it on and provide fabulous, inventive, spectacular food.

It was a birthday, so we had a degustation.

The Amuse Buche, with carrot sauce, bread, a lovely biscuit with home made butter infused (there is no other word) with garlic and Cyprus volcanic salt (is there any other?).

The soup was beautiful, great combination of curry and cauliflower, with peanut, ginger and shallot..  The curry oil was a different touch.

The smoked trout (“cured ocean trout with horseradish meringue, fennel, charred leek, hazelnut”) was a plain flavour, with hits of a sharp lemon flavour.  There was a combination of fennel cream and citrus flavour which altogether worked incredibly well.

The pork (“spiced rum braised pork belly with red cabage, rhubarb, black pepper, chestnuts”) looked too good to eat.

The scallops (“seared with coastal greens, smoked ell, teriyaki”) with smoked eel, sea bananas had an interesting herb flavour.

The venison (“eschallot, Illawarra plum, foie gras, cassis”) with beetroot was fabulous. The flavour of the tart was lovely and dry.  It was a complex combination of flavours which worked well.

The dessert, well was to die for as always.

An amazing meal, partly experimental, partly nouveau.  Sage is well worth going to again and again for those special occasions.

The atmosphere is pleasant, not too noisy, not too crowded, tables are well spaced out.  Waiters friendly and helpful.